East Ramapo: Proposal fails to get into state budget

“Rockland lawmakers pushing for a bill to get revenue and oversight for the troubled East Ramapo school district said Friday that the measure failed to get into the state budget.
“You live to fight another day,” said Assemblyman Ken Zebrowiski, D-New City, who was advocating for the measure along with Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern, and state Sen. David Carlucci, D-New City.
Zebrowski said the lawmakers will try to get a standalone measure approved that would bring both money and oversight to East Ramapo.
“We are certainly disappointed,” he said. “But we are hopeful that post-budget there is still an opportunity.”
“A compromise proposal would have provided the additional aid to the district, but would have given the state Education Department oversight on how $5 million is spent each year — as well as power over the district’s overall budget, in conjunction with a state panel now working with the district on its management.
Zebrowski said lawmakers tried to get the proposal through but ran out of time.”